The Warrior and his Daughter
by Idril Ar-Feiniel
Summary: Haldir has an affair with the Great Lady. His daughter goes missing. How will this end? Will he get found out? Will she ever be found?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Haldir stood silently among the trees watching his only child swim in the cool lake. Her long hair was blond like her Mother's had been. But her eyes twinkled gray like her Father's. Haldir loved her dearly, never wanting her to leave him, but he knew that soon she would meet the right Elf. He longed for that day to be slow in coming, yet at the same way he wanted her to be married to have a family of her own. She did not know her father was watching her. Ranain walked silently up to his friend and commander.

"Ada what are you doing?" Laineth asked her brows narrowed to a straight line.

"Nothing Laineth...just thinking."

"Spying would be more correct Ada!" She laughed and dried herself off, her wet skirt and shirt clinging to her.

"Well maybe, but I also wanted you to know that I will not be home for a little while next week. Galadriel wanted me to be at Caras Galadhon for a few days next week..."

"Ada you are going to get yourself into trouble! If Celeborn found out about your 'guarding Galadriel' activities...you would be ruined!" She put her hands on her hips and glared, just like her mother did.

"He won't find out..."

"Oh yes he will and when he does you will be ruined!" She started to walk away quickly, but narrowly missed crashing into Ranain.

"Who will be ruined?" Ranain grabbed her by the elbows steadying her.

"Ada...honestly I think he takes way too much joy in his 'guarding'!"

"What? I thought that was a joke among friends Haldir!" Ranain grew white and slack jawed.

"Ranain can we talk about this later?" Haldir was about to walk away.

"No right now tell me what is going on!"

"I am having an affair...with Galadriel..."

"I told you _no affairs and you will be fine!" _Ranain smacked his head against a tree.

"I can't just refuse her Ranain. What about my family, what if she harmed Laineth?" Haldir stared at his old friend. His eyes had a far off look in them.

"You seriously think that she would harm your child?" Ranain leaned against the tree and chuckled a little.

"Well...I guess that is farfetched, but Ranain she's my employer. Could she fire me for saying no?" Haldir groaned and after awhile said, "I know what I am doing. I love her that's all that counts."

Laineth changed her clothing and dried her hair as soon as she got to her and her father's flet. She thought about her father and Galadriel. _He is acting immature. Oh Elbereth wake him up to what will happen. _Twenty minutes later she started roasting some venison that had been left over from the previous night.

"See you later Ranain!" Haldir's muffled voice was heard from the bottom of the ladder.

"Ada! Dinner's ready!" She yelled down to him.

"Coming!" Haldir opened the door. Laineth was standing there with a steaming plate of roast venison.

The meal was very quiet. Laineth would not speak to her father, and her father had nothing to say. _A few days next week is what he told me._ Laineth though to herself, _a few days of nothing but worry and fear for myself. _She swallowed a piece of meat, picked up her plate, and put it in the sink along with other dirty dishes.

"Laineth I understand that you might be angry with me..."

"How could you possibly understand? While you're gallivanting off with her I will be sitting here frightened about you getting caught!" She kept her voice from yelling.

"Frightened? Is that what you are? Why can't I have some time with someone I love? I loved your mother and then _she died! _If it were not for Galadriel I would have no clue on how to raise you!" Tears began rolling down his cheeks. Laineth hid her face from him by washing dishes.

"I never want to lose you too...but I can't let go of what I have with her...what I told Ranain about her firing me is not true...I just did not want him to know my real reason." Haldir looked upward as if the ceiling would give him inspiration for his next set of words.

"Ada...I'm sorry I just get worried..." She hugged him tightly. Haldir the stoic march warden had been brought to tears by his 'little' girl.

The rest of the night was spent as usual. Haldir looked over some battle tactics and his daughter complained of how many pairs of shirts, pants, leggings, cloaks, and socks not to mention all the shoes he goes through. Then the next little while for her is spent mending and darning as well as washing and drying. Haldir looked up from his many maps and papers.

"You look a lot like her you know. She used to sit in that same chair and complain about all the holes and dirt that ended up ruining my clothing," Haldir smiled remembering Aryanna's energetic nature till she got sick a few weeks after Laineth's birth, "You would love her, she loved you a lot." Laineth looked up from her stitch work.

"I loved her Ada...only in a way an infant can love their Naneth." She poked her thumb with her needle, _not again! _She screamed inwardly. Haldir smiled and looked back at his plans and groaned. The plans showed three battalions of orcs on the northern border getting ready to march across, with two battalions of Galadhrim ready to engage in battle.

Laineth said goodnight to her father and walked to her small room. She looked at a sketched picture of her mother that her father had drawn. She sighed deeply and pulled open an old drawer. Slipping on her nightgown, Laineth snuffed out the candle and crawled into bed.

Haldir stayed up late into the night reading over plans and ideas that some of his younger officers had. Galadriel came into his mind again and again, not her voice, but memories. He loved her, but not as much as his deceased wife. After all Aryanna asked Haldir to find someone to help raise their daughter and Galadriel did a fine job.

The time came and Haldir left his home early in the morning. Laineth got read for the day and hoped that it would be normal, but found a note on the rough wooden kitchen table.

_Dear Laineth,_

_I know how you feel about Galadriel and I, but she is filling a hole inside my heart that has been empty for years. Please forgive me!_

_Your loving father_

_Haldir_

"I...I...forgive you Ada..." She felt unwanted tears slip down her rosy cheeks.

"What do you forgive your father of?" An archer leaned against the door way lazily.

"Who are you?" She tried to be calm.

"Just an elf." He smiled and shifted.

"I know that, but what is your name?"

"Morven is my name, and I work for Lord Celeborn." The elf said his smile faded, "What do you know of your father?"

"What do you mean?" Laireth folded the not cautiously.

"What is the deal with him and Galadriel?" Mórven frowned at her.

"Nothing at all sir." She lied to him; the room grew dark and cold.

"You are not certain are you?" As he stepped closer she realized who he was not – a messenger from Celeborn. The man grabbed her and fled.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Morven had the girl in his grasp as he pressed a cold chlorophorm filled rag against her nose and mouth, Laineth slipped into a state of unconsciousness as he slipped the gag between her teeth and tied it behind her head. His smile was grim as he slung her limp form over the neck of the inky black horse. He slung himself up grasping the reigns in one hand and balanced himself and the girl before tearing off through the night...

Haldir laughed at the joke his friend, Paladin, had told. His grey eyes twinkled gaily in the fire light as Ranain cast him a rather wary glance, still pondering about his friend's impromptu relationship. _My dear friend...what have you done..._

The days passed quickly as the small troop marched their way back home, Haldir yawned slightly and raked his fingers through his long hair. "Ranain," He turned and fixed a clear eye on his friend who was bending over lacing up his boot. "Your hair's getting in the mud." He dead panned as is friend looked up, his long hair had been gracing the mud covered grass. He swore under his breath.

Haldir threw his bow and quiver into the foot locker in his old tent. He smiled at the weather worn place, where Aryanna and he had...he shivered he could almost see her standing there in her pale white dress...he blinked and stared at the ground his heart aching terribly as he started on his way to Galadriel's flet.

Caras Galadhon was a beautiful place, pale white, glistening like a palace of pure mythril. The familiar smells of fresh wood, the vanilla smells wafted through the air, almost invitingly, from the scented candles near by the Great Lady of the wood. Galadriel was tall, fair, long pale blond hair glistened as it caught and reflected the lights of the candles.

Haldir felt a small smile spread across his face; he stood in still silence as he watched her douse the flames of each individual candle. His eyes drank in the presence of the woman he had come to adore, but this said woman...was after all...married.

Galadriel turned her head slightly; her clear blue eyes sparkled with radiance and sharp intelligence as bade him a soft, gentle "Welcome."

"My lady, how good it is to see you again." Haldir tilted his head slightly and approached the fair skinned elf. She smiled and took his larger, somewhat rougher, hands in her own silky white smaller one.

He gently tilted her head back and planted a soft kiss on those lips which felt like velvet and tasted like honey. They parted eventually as Haldir gently traced the curve of her jaw with his finger. "Ai Elbereth..." He whispered, "I've missed you..." He let his hand travel down her neck line to her shoulder as he grasped it firmly in his hand. Galadriel raised her own hand to cover his as she smiled lovingly at the face of the March warden.

Laineth felt a dull pain pounding in her head as she tried to move but found her hands and feet had been bound, she also felt the hard wood backing of a chair pressed tight against her back where ropes had been lashed across her mid section and tied tightly round the back. Morven sat in the corner sipping at his tea. Long glossy black hair flowed down his back slightly covering his face, his tunic was a dark blue, and his pants were a pitch black colour. The whole look of the elf in front of her was one of an evil presence.

"About time you woke up." The strangely melodic voice from earlier had left Morven's voice and had been replaced by a soft, poisonous, hiss. He crossed the floor glaring down at the she-elf as his eyes flicked from her over to the window. A small horde of orcs were outside training with seeming diligence. "Sauron will be most pleased to find that the battled in Lothlorien are about to be won..." he gave a cold smirk as he turned his back on her. The gag in her mouth had a bitter taste to it, much like her attitude was bitter and filled with hate towards this man. She tried to speak, to ask him what he meant. But knew the answer: her father, having lead most of the victories for Lorien, was now going to be given an ultimatum. For some strange reason, no matter how much she loved her father, she was more scared for Ranain. The elf had become more to her then just a friend of the family.

"Cur..." She managed to get out the word; her voice was quiet not much more than a whisper as she kept glaring, her grey eyes pierced through Morven causing him to become uncomfortable. Morven recognized her as an old classmate...but he had under gone so many changes he doubted she'd recognize him

"Cur...my dear girl...you are in no place to be calling me names now are you?" In the blink of an eye he had his knife out dancing lightly across her throat. Laineth tensed and decided the best course of action would to be: Shut up.

Haldir released the Lady from his grip and kissed her forehead softly, "I'll be back..." He said quietly as he slipped out the window and dropped to the ground with a soft 'thud.'

The flet had been as he'd left it, "Laineth, why did you leave the door open?" He shouted laughing quietly at his daughter's forgetfulness. The only thing that answered him was an eerie silence which filled the small area. "Laineth?" He said again, _must be out getting food. _He concluded as he then turned to search the area for signs of her leaving. It wasn't until then he saw the brief marks of a struggle between two, one obviously stronger than the other. Next he found the cloth; the rank smell of chlorophorm still clung to the old rag. It stung his nose making his eyes water, "Ugh...shit." He glared his heart racing at what could be happening. "This is all too obvious..." Most people would've hidden everything pertaining to a kidnapping, but this looked too...planned.

Ranain reigned in his horse; his smile was cut short as he noticed his friend's face. "Haldir?" He jumped down patting the horse's nose, "What is wrong?"

"Laineth...is gone." Haldir blinked looking at him; his eyes filled with inner pain as he ran to the back of the tree and grabbed her horse which was always tethered up to the hitching post. "Noro lim..." He muttered spurring the animal towards the barracks where the trackers lived. The trackers were a specialized group of elves that only focused on search and rescue; they had saved each person in the Galadhrim at least once.

Haldir's pale face was now grey with worry; he felt his breath coming in short gasps as he didn't order the group of trackers but begged them to help him find his lost daughter.

Ranain was back at the flet; he felt his heart starting to tear in half praying to Eru and to Elbereth, as well as the other Ainur, that she would be safe. He raked his fingers through his hair and paced the area, rather worried.


End file.
